AMPs and severity of bronchiolitis
The correlation of qualitive and quantitive factors with AMPs levels in
nasal secretions are shown in Table 2. A statistically significant
negative correlation was found between LL-37 levels and the duration of
hospitalization (rho =-0.340, p =0.001), the maximum modified Wang score
(rho =-0.160, p =0.048) and the need for IV fluid administration
(p=0.001) and medication use (p=0.001). No correlation was found between
LL-37 concentration and need for O2 supplementation, NG
feeding or ICU admission.
There was no association between LL-37 concentration and sex, ethnicity,
age, gestational age, birth weight, type of delivery or any modifiable
factor such as breastfeeding or smoke exposure in any period of life (in
utero or after birth). Furthermore, no correlation was found between
LL-37 nasal secretions and 25(OH)D serum levels.
Β-defensin-2 peptide was not found to be significantly correlated to any
factor.
After adjusting for gender, ethnicity, age, type of delivery, smoke
exposure and 25(OH)D serum levels, LL-37 concentration remained
significantly associated with the length of hospitalization (β=-0.002
95% CI [(-0.003- -0.0001], p=0.010) and medication use (OR=0,99
95% CI [(0.98 -1.00], p=0.014), but not with maximum modified Wang
score or IV fluid administration (p=0.431 and p=0.145 respectively).
The inverse correlation between LL-37 levels and the length of hospital
stay is shown in Figure1.